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athlete's foot (tinea)

Athlete's foot is a fungal infection, otherwise known as tinea. This is a flaky, sometimes itchy, and sometimes red rash between the toes and over the rest of the nearby foot. Initially it is confined to the spaces between the toes, but it can also spread and affect more of the foot. In some people the skin becomes very sore and even bleeds a little.

Several fungus varieties cause athlete's foot, and sometimes more than one is present at the same time. The condition may be complicated by a secondary infection with bacteria which take advantage of the damaged skin.

Prevention

Dry well between your toes after baths or showers. The feet are more susceptible to athlete's foot when they are warm and moist, so it seems to occur more frequently in people that wear artificial soles and especially trainers - with gym showers and swimming pools being a common way for people to share the bacteria.

The treatments below will assist in protecting the feet from regular recurrence of the condition:

Method 1 - Foot massage

Blend:

• Tea Tree (5 drops)
• Lemon (1 drop)

Dilute the oils into 30ml of vegetable oil and massage into the feet.

Method 2 - After bath foot massage

Blend:

• Pine (1 drop)
• Eucalyptus (1 drop)
• Lavender (1 drop)

As above, dilute into a teaspoon of vegetable oil, massaging daily immediately after bathing.